CONTROLS Synonyms: 196 Similar and Opposite Words

controls 1 of 2

noun

Definition of controls next

plural of control

as in controllers

a mechanism for adjusting the operation of a device, machine, or system the controls for the player are well marked

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as in hands

the ability to direct the course of something after the tail fell off, the plane went out of the pilot's control firefighters keeping control of the blaze

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as in operations

the act or activity of looking after and making decisions about something control of manufacturing operations was given to a new manager with fresh ideas

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as in powers

the right or means to command or control others teachers are responsible for the students under their control

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controls

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of control

as in regulates

to keep from exceeding a desirable degree or level (as of expression) you must learn to control your temper

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as in contains

to gain emotional or mental control of he controlled himself only with the greatest difficulty in the face of his opponent's insulting remarks

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as in rules

to exercise authority or power over circumstances often control the choices we make in life

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as in operates

to look after and make decisions about during the period that she controlled the company it was highly profitable

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of controls

Noun

Parents can protect their entire family with benefits like alert sharing, parental controls and cyberbullying alerts for video games. —

Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026 With 13 customizable controls, 11-zone Chroma under-glow, and Gen-3 Optical Switches that are rated for 90 million clicks, this mouse will survive your climb to the top of the leaderboard. —

Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026 The cell does this with a membrane permeable enough to let nutrients in but solid enough to hold the cell together, plus molecular controls to modulate that permeability as needed. —

Amanda Gefter, Quanta Magazine, 10 Apr. 2026 Samantha Nevins had an impressive five assists while Evie Bernard led with five goals and nine draw controls as Hamilton-Wenham cruised to a 20-5 win over Georgetown. —

Tyler McManus, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026 Those who test positive for the disease of interest become positive cases in the study, and those who test negative are test-negative controls. —

Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2026 What happens when the same capabilities operate outside those controls is a question that policy has not yet answered. —

Stephen D. Turner, The Conversation, 9 Apr. 2026 Throughput increases, operational strain decreases, and the environment begins to function as an integrated system rather than a patchwork of manual controls. —

Alex Israel, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026 The highest doping controls were in hockey, cross-country skiing, biathlon, speed skating and alpine skiing, the agency said. —

Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 3 Apr. 2026

Verb

There, he was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant tumor that is located on the part of the brain that controls coordination and movement, according to the Mayo Clinic. —

Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 12 Apr. 2026 But Lincoln controls the whole tempo, the complete vibe of the affair with her epic vocals, effortless charm, and wonderful instincts. —

Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026 Since that time, that state has gotten to a point where the highest bidder controls the state. —

Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026 Glover also got a chance to test out the manual controls on the capsule ahead of future missions. —

Mark Osborne, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026 There has been no official statement from Iran, which controls the Strait of Hormuz, on whether there is any coordination with Qatar. —

Dalia Abdelwahab, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2026 The question of who controls the Strait of Hormuz, a vital maritime route for oil and gas, is yet unresolved. —

Joseph Wilkins, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026 The company discounts the original value of the home, requires homeowners to pay all costs and fees during the term of the agreement and controls the home appraisal process, the attorneys asserted. —

Judith Kohler, Denver Post, 10 Apr. 2026 Raising questions about whether Iran still controls the Strait here, but this has become such a huge global issue. —

Cody Godwin, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for controls

Noun

But Wednesday's test, the second to involve all four crew members, was called off to give flight controllers time to troubleshoot a liquid oxygen pressurization issue in the crew ship's service module that cropped up shortly after launch.

— William Harwood, CBS News, 9 Apr. 2026
However, the sun is shining upon the spacecraft with such might that on mission Day 3, controllers got worried that the windows were heating up too much.

— Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 7 Apr. 2026